A Glimpse Of Love
Deep in the Black Forest, the Huntsman watched placidly as a rabbit jumped past, then a raccoon, then a fawn and a doe. But these he paid no attention. What concerned him were the human footprints tracked through the mud from the rain. The black-haired burly man looked down at the tracks, leading deeper into the forest, when suddenly he was startled by a voice behind him.
"There you are," said the resonate voice. The Huntsman reeled around to find himself looking at none other than the prince of the neighboring kingdom, his stepdaughter Snow White's playmate from her childhood, Prince Florian. "I've caught you," Florian went on. "I purposely walked in a circle. I've been tracking you for some time now," the boy said. He pushed the brown hair off his brow and out of his blue eyes, and swung his red cape back behind his shoulders.
Tracking him, the Queen's Huntsman, in circles and loop-de-loops for this long, and a mere boy at that? the man mused to himself.
The Prince's next words reverberated through him with the force of an invisible arrow through the heart. "Where is Snow White?" Florian demanded.
The Huntsman took a breath to answer. "Prince Florian, I have lost track of Snow White in the forest for some time now, since she ran away," he answered ruefully.
"Ran away?" Florian repeated crestfallen. "Tell me, do you remember which direction she headed in?"
"Deeper into the forest," the Huntsman replied. "I thought perhaps she is better off someplace else. Though, you might ask the Mirror."
"What mirror?" Florian asked perplexed.
"The Queen's Magic Mirror can answer any question you ask of it," the man explained. "It hangs in her throne room."
"The Queen will no longer receive me as a visitor, nor will she let anyone enter the castle these days," Florian said.
"Don't let her catch you," the Huntsman said hurriedly. "There is a way. I can actually turn invisible," he revealed, being caught by the Prince. "Most of the time on my business as Huntsman I am invisible, going about unseen except by those who keep an eye out for magic. That's why it's taken so long for you to catch me."
"Don't think I couldn't still see you," the Prince said. "But tell me, how do you do this? Is it possible for me to learn?"
"It's invisibility powder, one of the Queen's magic inventions." The Huntsman took out a vial of what looked like sparkling black sand and handed it to the Prince. He held it up with one hand, glancing at it wide-eyed, before pocketing it. "And when you wish to turn visible again, purse your lips and blow a puff of air. That always works."
The Prince nodded at the Huntsman, in gratitude and good will. "If that's all the more information you can give me, I will be on my way," the boy said.
"I care about her," the Huntsman called out to Florian as he began to walk away, but turned back again. "But I'll leave it to you to find her."
...
Florian rode on his galloping white horse through the forest of evergreen fir trees and pines, and birches and sycamores beginning to change color. At the sight of the white red-roofed castle he dismounted his steed, leaving the horse free to graze and rest. The Prince approached the castle, running soundlessly in his boots and hiding behind stone walls where no one would see. He had played a similar game with Snow White when they were younger. He took the vial of black sand out of his pocket and poured some into his hand. Then, hoping and believing in magic with all his might, he threw the handful of sand at his own boots.
At first he thought the Huntsman had played a trick on him, to send him over to the Queen, or just get him off his tracks. But then as he spun slowly he noticed something strange - he had no shadow. Under the setting sun, he cast no shadow behind him! He was invisible! He held out his hands and stared at them, noticing a strange angelic glow, as if the sunlight went straight through him.
Most excellent, he thought to himself. He snuck in through a door and hurried up the stairs, searching for a mirror. He found there were many mirrors on the walls, all showing his reflection to only himself, he knew. Mirrors that Snow White had smiled at herself in and done her hair in front of. Mirrors that showed him now, brown hair tousled, a determined and desperate look in his blue eyes. This was the last place he would have come to, knowing Snow White was missing from the castle, but the Magic Mirror might be his only track on the trail.
Through the windows the sun descended behind the line of trees and the moon rose in the evening sky. At last he snuck into the throne room, holding the Queen's now-empty Peacock throne. Snow White's stepmother must be busy elsewhere, probably dabbling in witchcraft. There was a gold-rimmed, oval mirror on the wall.
Florian approached the mirror. He could see his reflection but with a strange glow. Halfway there he remembered to blow a puff of air out of his lips, turning himself back visible as the Huntsman had instructed. Now his reflection in the mirror was darker, bolder. He walked up to the mirror and stood tall before it, feet placed firmly apart on the floor. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage and again believing in magic, then spoke out loud.
"Show me my true love."
Flickering flames and white smoke appeared in the gold-framed mirror, then to his surprise and awe, his reflection in the mirror changed to a different image. The mirror was now more like a painting hanging on the wall, or even a window. Through the pane of glass stood a maiden with thick black eyelashes over caramel eyes, ruby red lips and a blush on her winter-pale skin, all framed by a halo of night-black-hair. The maiden was dancing, her hands holding up the pale yellow skirt of her blue-bodiced dress so that she would not trip. Music streamed out of the mirror, a fast-paced polka. The maid gave a high-pitched laugh and danced. It was Snow White in the mirror!
He had not seen Snow White in some time, and now felt the rush of love at first sight all over again. It was ein Blick auf die Liebe - a glimpse of love.
"Now," he addressed the mirror, "where do I find her?"